Northeastern Anatolia
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© Lonely Planet Publications NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA 563 Northeastern Anatolia If you yearn to explore, push Turkey’s back door. Not only is the least-visited corner of the country a secretive world (even for the Turks), it’s also a gold mine for wannabe adventurers. You can plan a thorough itinerary, with highlights that cover the most accessible sights, or you can take a more DIY approach, stumbling around in remote villages or wandering in the yayalar (highland pastures) without another traveller in sight. Whatever your perspective, the warmth you’ll experience is another incentive to discover the region. And there’s a distinctly Caucasian flavour, courtesy of the proximity of Armenia and Georgia, which adds to the appeal. For James Bond action-seekers, there are outdoor adventures galore to gorge on in a variety of mind-boggling playgrounds. Rafting enthusiasts swear that the frothing rapids of the Çoruh are the most thrilling in the world, while snow bunnies will be in seventh heaven at Palandöken ski resort. If hiking is more to your liking, consider scaling Mt Ararat, Turkey’s highest summit, or tackling the Kaçkar Mountains. And culture? The region musters up enough surprises to enthral even the most jaded history buffs. It’s like a vast open-air museum, with a gobsmacking portfolio of palaces, castles, mosques and churches dotted around the steppe. The astonishing İshak Paşa Sarayı and the ruins of Ani are must-sees for anyone with an interest in Turkey’s ancient flourishing civilisations. There are also hidden treasures that await you, including a bonanza of Georgian churches near Yusufeli and Armenian monuments near Kars, all set against the extraordinary gorges or steppes. Go on. Break the mould and delve a little deeper into Anatolia. HIGHLIGHTS Piece together eastern Turkey’s mysterious past through ancient churches and castles, such as Şeytan Kalesi ( p585 ) or Öşkvank cathedral ( p570 ) Psyche yourself up and join the adrenaline junkies on a white-water run through the Çoruh Gorge ( p572 ) Dose up on amazement at the ruins of Ani ( p581 ), an ancient Armenian capital GEORGIA Impress your peers and rip up some powder Posof at the Palandöken ski resort ( p569 ) Šeytan Kalesi Çoruh Gorge Wake to clear skies and astounding views, Ani ARMENIA and search for words atop Mt Ararat Öškvank ( p589 ), Turkey’s highest mountain Mt Ararat Palandöken Ski Resort Thank the heavens for the sight of İshak Îshak Paša Palace Paşa Palace ( p586 ) in Doğubayazıt, the IRAN castle of every child’s imagination Cross Turkey’s most isolated border at Posof, sup a full-bodied wine in Georgia ( p585 ) and re-enter Turkey the next day NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA 564 NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA •• Erzurum lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA •• Erzurum 565 0 50 km NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA 0 30 miles bank street. These streets are divided by the garage, the Gölbaşı Semt Garajı, is northeast Havuzbaşı traffic roundabout. Most of the of the town centre. Akhaltisikhe BLACK SEA (Ashika) city’s blockbuster sights and hotels are in this Türkgözü (KARADENÎZ) Batumi vicinity. Information Sarpî GEORGIA Meydancîk Posof The train station is about 1km north of Erzurum has many internet cafés on Erzincan D955 Hopa Tbeti Borçka Karagöl Cumhuriyet Caddesi. You will need transport Kapı Caddesi, which runs parallel to Cumhuri- Sahara Milli Šeytan Kalesi D010 Porta Parkî to get to the otogar (bus station), 3km west yet Caddesi. Most banks have branches with NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA D010 Šavšat Fîndîklî Dolišhane Çam Pass of the centre, and the airport. The minibus ATMs on or around Cumhuriyet Caddesi. Ardešen Çîldîr Artvin Ardahan Doÿruyol Ardanuç Çîldîr Çamlîhemšin Yeni Rabat Lake 0 300 m D010 Barhal ERZURUM Some Minor Roads Not Depicted 0 0.2 miles Šenyuva (Altîparmak) Arpaçay Öÿdem Mt Kaçkar Church of Susuz Akyaka (3937m) Yaylalar the Mother Olur Gyumri ACB D Yusufeli of God Göle D060 To Tortum (52km); Olgunlar Κhan D060 Oÿuzlu & INFORMATION Otel Çînar............................(see 18) DRINKING Yusufeli Tekkale Bana Kîzîl Kilise Ani Tortum Kars ARMENIA (129km); Dörtkilise Akšar Kar@@slan Internet Cafe..............1 B4 Otel Dede..............................16 B4 Çay Bahçesi.............................29 C4 Artvin Šelalesi Penek D070 Ocaklî (ERMENÎSTAN) Tourist Office...............................2 B4 Otel Polat..............................17 C3 Lake Bagnair Monastery (215km) Öškvank Tortum & Magazbert 1 Yeni Çînar Oteli.....................18 C3 ENTERTAINMENT Oltu D957 Baÿbašî Uzundere Fortress SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Yeni Orkek............................19 C3 Dašhane.................................(see 20) (Haho) D965 Digor Caferiye Camii.............................3 C4 Îspir Sarîkamîš Çifte Minareli Medrese................4 D4 EATING SHOPPING Šenyurt Keçvian (Uncular) Erzurum Hamamî ve Saunasî........5 C3 Erzurum Evleri........................20 C4 Rüstem Paša Çaršîsî..................30 C3 Kaÿîzman Erzurum Museum.........................6 B5 Gel-Gör Caÿ Kebabî...............21 C3 Tortum Çengilli Kale (Citadel)...............................7 D4 Gizem Cafe & Patisserie.........22 C4 TRANSPORT D955 D080 Kîrk Çešme Hamamî.....................8 C3 Güzelyurt Restorant...............23 C4 Avis.........................................31 A3 D950 Tuzluca Horasan D080 Lala Mustafa Paša Camii..............9 C4 Kîlîçoÿlu.................................24 C4 Decar.......................................32 B3 Turkish Islamic Arts & Ethnography Küçükbey Konaÿî................... C4 Esadaš Ticket Office...............(see 13) Iÿdîr Aralîk 25 Aras River Museum................................10 C4 Lokanta...............................(see 18) Gölbašî Semt Garajî.................33 D2 D975 D100 Üç Kümbetler (Three Tombs).....11 D4 Salon Asya.............................26 C4 Kuzkay Turizm.......................(see 22) Pasinler Mt Küçük Ilîca Mt Ararat Ulu Cami...................................12 D4 Simit Konaÿî..........................27 C4 Onur Air..................................34 B4 ERZURUM Aÿrî Aÿrî (Aÿrî Daÿî) (3895m) Yakutiye Medrese....................(see 10) Vatan Lokantasî.....................28 C3 Turkish Airlines........................35 C4 Palandöken (5137m) To 2 Ski Resort D100 D950 Doÿubayazît Nakhichevan (1km) SLEEPING D100 Esadaš Otel................................13 B4 D955 Tutak Diyadin Gürbulak Îshak Paša Train Station Çat Hotel Dilaver..............................14 C3 Palace Bãzargãn Kral Otel....................................15 C4 D965 IRAN 33 Îstasyon Sk Îstasyon Cad50. Yîl Cad Ahmet Yesevi Cad Uzan Sk ERZURUM and abroad to enjoy the nearby Palandöken Nenehatun Cad 21 %0442 / pop 362,000 / elevation 1853m ski resort. Kazîm Karabekir Cad 28 18 19 Forget any preconceived notion you have 31 17 of a cold, austere and overwhelmingly con- History 3 Hastaneler Cad Ašaÿî Mumcu Meydanî Gülahmet 5 Tašmaÿazalar Cad Cad servative city. Sure, the climate is off-putting Being in a strategic position at the confluence Cedid Cad Eski Bit Pazarî Cad Terminal Cad Paša CadÎzzet Org much of the year and the city feels much less of roads to Constantinople, Russia and Persia, To Otogar (400m); A Ayazpaša Cad 32 š Airport (14km) a Çaykara ÿ 14 8 liberal than its Mediterranean counterparts, Erzurum was conquered and lost by armies of Demircioÿlu Cad î Stadium Terminal Cad M Menderes Cad but Erzurum is rapidly metamorphosing into Armenians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, u n 30 m a n c 7 d u Cad a vibrant metropolis and the sizeable student Arabs, Saltuk Turks, Seljuk Turks, Mongols A C a population brings a refreshing touch of mod- and Russians. As for the Ottomans, it was d Havuzbašî 12 29 13 26 3 ernity. The ‘peoplescape’ of Erzurum is ab- Selim the Grim who conquered the city in 22 9 Cumhuriyet Cad 35 sorbing in its contrasts. Patriotic, conservative 1515. It was captured by Russian troops in Cemal Gürsel Cad 27 25 11 4 Yönetisi Merkez Cad Merkez Yönetisi 24 Belediye 34 16 23 20 4 1 Dere Cad men and women wearing voluminous black 1882 and again in 1916. (Town Hall) 2 15 IÎbrahimr Tebriz Yenišehir Cad Tašamba lar Cad Muratpa Paša Camii Kapî drapes or at least headscarves mix with young In July 1919 Atatürk came to Erzurum To Erzincan Erzincan (187km); Kapî Cad Šerif Efendi Cad couples and stalwart soldiers. to hold the famous congress that provided Sivas (434km) ša 10 Ditch your bags on arrival and leg it straight the rallying cry for the Turkish independ- Cad to Cumhuriyet Caddesi, the main artery, ence struggle. The Erzurum Congress is most Ali Ravi Cad which showcases some of the best Seljuk ar- famous for determining the boundaries of 6 Atatürk Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bul chitecture in the country. Then sweat it up to what became known as the territories of the University Campus the citadel, where you can get your bearings National Pact, the lands that became part of Cad over the urban sprawl, with the steppe form- the Turkish Republic. Köšk Rüštü Paša Cad 5 To Pasinler (37km); ing a heavenly backdrop. Aÿrî (183km); The short summer (June to September) is Orientation Doÿubayazît (285km) obviously the best time to visit Erzurum, but Cumhuriyet Caddesi, which becomes Cemal Eÿitim Sultan Cad To Iranian Fakültesi it’s also an excellent base in winter for skiing Gürsel Caddesi along its western reaches, Consulate (1km); enthusiasts, who come from all over Turkey is Erzurum’s most sizzling eat-drink-shop- Palandöken (5km) NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA 566 NORTHEASTERN ANATOLIA •• Erzurum Book accommodation onlinelonelyplanet.com at lonelyplanet.com Booklonelyplanet.com